Combined couch and chair.



M. H. SIL/HER. commen coucH AND cHAm. y APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. 1917. l ,261 ,063., I Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l IVI. H. SLATER.

COMBINED COUCH AND CHAIR. APPLICATION FILED MAY ge. |91?.

LQLOGSI Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@FFlm MABEL H. SLATER, 0F WEBSTER, llLlIASSACHUSIE'JPJl.l

CGMBINED COUCH AcND CHAm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rasant-ea am. a, reis.

Application filed may 29, 1917. Serial No. 171,648.

To all 'whom tmay concern.'

Be it known that I, MABEL H.l SLATER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Webster, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and' useful Improvements in Combined Couches and Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device capable of a variety of uses and comprising, as a whole, a camping outfit, the object of the invention being to provide a camping outfit which can be arranged and adjusted, first as a cot or couch, second, a chair, third a shelter, fourth, an easy chain with awning, fifth, a double swinging chair and sixth, a hammock, a portion of said outfit consisting of a waterproof canvas mattress or sleeping bag which is arranged to be detachably fastened to said chair, and an other portion of said `outfit consisting of a scout blanket with a pouch adapted to contain the human body.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a couch embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same, partly broken away and shown in section, and with dotted lines indicating. the manner in which the same may be used as 'a hammock.

- Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the 'lower end of the couch cover.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the couch cover on independent supports and without the couch frame.

Fig.' 6 is a perspective view of the device arranged as a chair with an awning.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the device arranged as a double swinging chair.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the device arranged as a shelter.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken on line 9 9 of Fig. l.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional elevation taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a detail ysection taken on line 11-11,'rig. 1o.

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 6.

Fig.- 13 is a perspective view of a detachable arm.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of a pouch blanket adapted to be used in connection with the couch illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 are the side rails of the device, each of said side rails consisting of two parts 1l and 12, preferably formed of light angle iron and connected together by hinges l13. The pintles 14 of the hinges 13 are arranged adjacent to the under'sides of the side rails and the adjacent ends of said side rails are arranged to abut against each other when the device is arranged for a hammock or for a couch, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Legs 15 are pivoted at 16 to the parts 11 and 12. The device being particularly adapted for outdoor purposes,'the free ends of the legs 15 are pointed so that they may preferably be pushed into the ground.

The side rails are joined together by struts 19 and 20 and the legs 15 are joined together by cross-bars 21 and 22. Tie members 23 and 24 connect the struts 19 and 20 to the cross-bars 21 and 22, respectively.

`Said tie members terminate preferably lat their ends in snap hooks 25, so that when the device is used as a chair, as in Fig. 6, these hooks may be connected together, the two tie members 23 and 24 formingin this instance a connecting member for the side rails to prevent them from spreading.

The body portion ofthe couch 26 consists of two substantially rectangular sheets of flexible material, 27 being the upper sheet and 2-8 being the lower sheet and these two sheets of flexible material are provided around their edges with eyelets 29.

A marginal piece of sheet material 30 eX- tends entirely around the two pieces 27 and 28 of sheet material, and, as seen in Figs. l and 4, is permanently united to said upper and lower sheets of material by stitches 31 which extend across the bottom of the couch and along the opposite edges thereof to the points A. For the remainder of the distance around the body portion of the couch, the marginal piece 30 is attached to the upper sheet by stitches but is detached from the lower sheet 28, as illustrated in Fig. 3, so that at the lower end of the vbody portion 26 a pocket or pouch 32 (Fig. 4) is provided which may be used for storing articles, such as blankets and bed clothing, or which may be used to contain the body of the user.

Studs 33 are fastened to the side rails 10 and also to. the struts 19 and 20 and to these studs the body portion 26 is attached by slipping the eyelets 29 thereover, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 9.

When the device is used as a couch, therefore, the legs 15 are arranged at an angle to the side rails 10, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the rods 21 and 22 are connected to the struts 19 and 20 by the tie members 23 and 24, respectively. The body portion 26 of ilexible material is connectedto the studs 33 by slipping the eyeleted portions of the upper and lower sheets27 and 28 over said studs,

both on the struts 19 and 20 and on the side.

rails 10, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 9. When the body portion 26 is thus used it will be understood that the studs 33 project through the'eyelets in the upper and lower sheets 27 and 28 entirely around the four sides of said sheets. Also that said studs project through the intermediate marginal port-ion 30 across the foot of the couch andl along the side rails 12"up to the points A. From the points A along the side rails 12 and 11 to the strut 19 and along said strut 19 the studs 33 project through the upper and lower sheets 27 and 28 and through one v edge of the marginal portion, the other edge of said marginal portion being left free and projecting between the upper and lower sheets as illustrated in Fig. 3 and as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to have the head portion of the couch raised at an angle, the parts are arranged as illustrated in Fig. 2, the end of the upper sheet 27 of the body portion 26 being disconnected from the studs on the strut 19 and from a portion of the side rails 11 adjacent to said strut and the portion so detached held at an angle by means of arms 34. (See Figs. 2 and 13). These arms have lateral projections 35, 36 and 37.

The lateral projection 35 projects beneath and contacts with the lower edge of the side rail part 11. The lateral projection 36 projects through a hole 38 in said side rail part. The lateral projection 37 projects through an' eyelet 39 in the corner of said body portion. The arms 34 thus support the head portion of the upper sheet 27 at an angle, while the lower sheet portion 28 remains attached to the studs 33.

oftentimes it is found desirable to use the body portion 26 without any couch frame on marches and in cases where it is desirable to carry as light an equipment as possible and in such cases said body portion is arranged as illustrated in Fig. 5, in which the upper and lower sheets 27 and 28, respectively, and the marginal portion 30 are joined together project through the eyelets 39, said posts be! ing braced by means of cords 42 which are attached thereto and also to pegs 43 driven in the ground.

When it is desired to use the device as a chair the parts are arranged as in Fig. 6 and in this case the parts 11 and 12 of the side rails 10 are arranged at an angle and their lower ends thrust into the ground.

'Ihe upper sheet 27 is disconnected from the Studs 33 along the entire length of the side rail parts 11 and the portion so disconnected is held at an angle to the side parts 11 to form an awning 44 by means of the arms 34, one on each side of the awning, the ends 37 of said arms 34 projecting through the eyelets 39 in the sheet 27 and the ears 36 of said arms 34 projecting through holes 45 in the side parts 11.

The seat 46 .of the chair is formed by inserting a rod 47 in holes 48 formed in the side parts 11, said rod forming a knee rail.`

swinging chair, tle side rails are placed at 7 and a rod 51 is placed between the 'adja-y cent ends of the side rail parts resting upon the hinges 13 and over this rod 51 the body portion 26 of flexible material is thrown, depending downwardly therefrom and having its free ends connected to the side rail parts 11 and 12 by tiemembers 52. The ends of saidtie members are rovided with hooks which extend through iioles provided in the side rails 11 and 12 and throu h the eyelets 39 in the four corners of the bo y portion 26.

When the device is used as a shelter the parts are arranged relatively to each other as illustrated in Fig. 8 inwhich the parts of the side rails l1 and 12 are arranged at an angle to each other, the legs 15 are thrust into the ground and said side rails and legs held at an angle to each other by tie members 23 and 24. In this instance the body portion 26 is connected to the side rails by means of the studs 33 projecting through the eyelets in said body portion, as in Fig. 1.

A convenient and comfortable blanket particularly adapted to be used in connection with the foregoing and forming a portion thereof is illustrated in Fig. 14 and an angle with each other, illustrated in Fig;

consists of a body portion 53 formed of llannel and an, auxiliary body portion ,54 attached thereto and forming a pouch. The auxiliary body portion 54 is attached to the body portion 58 by stitches'55 along one side and across the bottom thereof and preferably 'for a portion ofthe length of the other side of said auxiliary body portion from the bottom toward the top, while the remainder of the last-named side is attached to the body portion 53 by fastenings 56. Thus it will be seen that the auxiliary body portion can be folded back when the user desires to get into the pouch, as illustrated in Fig. 14.

yThe fastening devices v56 are then operated to fasten the edge of the auxiliary body portion 54 to the body portion 53 and the lower section of the blanket is folded .up`

camping outfit can be used for a large variety of purposes, hereinbefore set forth,

and that, if desired, the flexible body portion 26 can be detached and used separately as a sleeping bag, when the couch frame is too heavy or awkward to handle in case of marching, etc. Y

The hinges in the center of the frame of the cot and the particular manner in which the body portion of the same can be attached to the couch frame allow said frame4 to be adjusted and, in connection with said body portion, to form a chair, a swing, a shelter or a couch, as hereinbefore described. j When it is desired to use the device as a hammock it can be done by suspending the saine by means of rods or chains 57, as illus-VV trated in dotted lines, Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

1. A combined chair and couch having, in combination, a pair of side rails, each in two parts hinged together, struts connecting said pair of side rails together, one of said struts located relatively to the free end of its respective parts of said side rails in position to form a knee rail when said side rails are arranged at an angle to each other to form a chair, and another of said struts being positioned relatively to the inner ends of the other of said-side rail parts to form a head rail, and a piece of flexible Sheet material fastened along its opposite edges to said side rails from the outer ends `of said side rails to saidknee rail and hea-d rail, the portion of said sheet material between said knee rail and head rail being left detached from said side rails and forming a seat of said chair.

2. A combined chair and couch having, in combination, a pairof side rails, each in two parts hinged together, struts connecting said pair of side rails together, legs pivoted to said side rails, tie-members connecting the free ends of said legs to the outer ends of said pair of side rails, and a piece of flexible sheet material fastened along its opposite edgesto said side rails for a portion of the length of said piece of sheet material from each end thereof, leaving a portion of said sheet material unfastened along its ed es to said side rails, said tie members eing adapted to be connectedV together to form a tie between two parts of the same side rail when the parts of said side rails are arranged at an angle to form a chair.

3. A couch having, in combination, a pair of side rails, struts connecting said pair of side rails together, a piece of flexible sheet material fastened along its opposite edges to said side rails for a portion of the length v of said piece of `sheet material from one end thereof and a pair of arms fast to said side rails and extending upwardly therefrom at an angle, the free ends of said arms being connected to the end of said piece of sheet material which is not attached to said side rails, each of said arms having two ears extending laterally therefrom, one of said ears adapted to project through a hole in said side rail and-the other of said ears adapted to contact with the under edge of said side rail, whereby said armsare detachably fastened to said side rails.

4. A combined chair and couch having, in combination, a pair of side rails each in two parts hinged together, struts connecting said pair of side ralls together, one of said struts located relatively to the free end of its respective parts' in position to form a knee rail when said side rail parts are arranged at an angle to form a chair andanother of said struts being positioned relatively to the inner ends of the other of said side rail parts to form a head rail, and two substantially rectangular pieces of flexible sheet materlal, one of said 'pieces fastened along its opposlte edges to two of said side rail parts from the outer ends of said side rail parts to said knee rail and head rail, the portion of said last-named sheet of material between said knee rail and head rail being left detached from said side rails and forming a seat of said chair, the other of said pieces of sheet material fastened along its opposite edges to the side rail parts to which said head rail is fastened fromV the outer ends of said side rail parts, throughout their entire extent, the

will

remainder of said last-named sheet of material being detached from the other pair of side rail parts,- and a pair of arms fastened 11o-the first-named pair of side rail parts, the

free ends of said arms engaging the free end of said last-named sheet of material and holding the same extended to form an awning for said chair.

5. A combined swinging chair and couch having, in combination, a air of side rails, each in two parts hinge together, struts connecting said pair of side rails together, legs pivoted to said side rails, whereby said side rails may be positioned atan angle to each other, a rod supported upon said side rails between their adjacent ends, a piece of sheet material extending across said rod and' depending therefrom and tie members connecting the free ends of said sheet material to saidv side rails, thereby forming a two seated swinging chair.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presencel of two subscribing wit- MABEL H. SLATER.

Witnesses:

A. A. JONES, SYDNEY E.. TAFT.

' IIBSSES. 

